colburn



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. J. COLBURN.

- SAFE.

Patented Aug. 27, 1895.

WITNESSES. INVENTOR.

6 21 @W-Wfi (No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. J. GOLBURN. SAFE.

Patented Aug. 27, 1895.

VENTOR.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES FATENT FFICE.

SAFE.

SIEOIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,158, dated August27, 1895. Application filed February 23, 1395. Serial No. 539,430- (Nomodel.) 7

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY J. COLBURN, a citizen of the United States,residing at T0- ledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Im provements in Safes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to burglar-proof safes, particularly that classwhich are carried on trains between leading stations and are especiallyexposed to danger and plunder from train robbers, who, having held upthe train and intimidated the guardians of the treasure, gain completeaccess tothe exterior of the safe at all points, rendering it only aquestion of time to enter the same as now generally constructed.

My object is to do away with all keys, keyholes, combinationdocks,time-lock devices, bolts, bars, hinges, 850., and all appreciableapertures and crevices whatever, making the safe so massive and strongthat external violence can have no serious effect upon it, and finallymaking the means of entry such that it can only be applied at theprincipal stations at the ends of the transit route, even by experts andthe most skilled mechanics. To this end I construct the safe withoutdoors, apertures, looks, or hinges, making it in hollow partiblesections or halves with ground joints which leave no crevice ofpractical access. These sections are circular in horizontal section, andhave no external irregularities except such slight protuberanoes as arenecessary to enable the parts to be handled by powerful machineryexpressly designed and provided for the purpose at the points where thesafe is to be closed and opened. The said sections, after being properlyfilled, are placed in position in the apparatus for closing, the uppersection is brought by proper appliances directly over the lower sectionand lowered upon the same, and then by means which I will now proceed todescribe, in conjunction with the peculiar construction of the sections,the two are powerfully united together in such manner that they cannotbe again separated, except by similar means and appliances to those usedin uniting the same.

Referring to the drawings accompanying this specification and forming apart of the same, Figure 1 is a vertical side elevation of one form orvariety of my improved safe. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of same. Fig.3 is an inside view of the top half, seen in the direction of arrow A,Fig. 4. Fig. at is a side elevation of thelower half and a verticalsection of the upper half, the latter seen on line B, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 isa vertical section of a second variety of my improved safe on line C,Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is an end view or plan of the second variety, seen in thedirection of arrow D, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical elevation and apartial section like variety No. 2, showing a modified form ofoperating-lug. Fig. 8 is a plan or end view of said modified form ofvariety No. 2. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal vertical elevation and partialsection on line E, Fig. 10, of an operating-machine, seen in thedirection of arrow F. Fig. 10 is a vertical end elevation of saidoperating-machine seen in the direction of arrow G. Fig. 11 is a topview or plan of a portion of said operatinginachine. Fig. 12 is avertical elevation of the safe shown in Fig. 7, and of themachineconnecting means for closing and opening the same. Fig. 13represents a vertical section of a modified form of power connecting andoperating machine. Fig. 14 is a plan of the same modified form of powerconnecting the operating mechanism illustrated in Fig. 13.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. i H is the upper and H the lower halfor section of safe. At I is an upward-projecting flange adapted in sizeand form to fit within the socket J. K are spirally-formed lugs adaptedin form and size to fit within the corresponding spirally-formed groovesK. These spirals are cut away at c, thus forming the said threads intospiral-shapedlugs for the purpose of facilitating the closing andopening of said sections H and H. This safe is closed by placing itsparts 11 and H together in the direction of arrow L, when it is obviousthat by turning the said parts in opposite directions upon theirvertical axis, as shown by arrows C and O in Fig. 1, the said lugs K andgrooves K will engage and draw the sections H and H closely together.Likewise in the varieties of safes hereinbefore described. R

second variety illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6', Il"and H are the upper andlower sections of the safe. These are ground and fitted togetherat anydesired angle at M, A stud is firmly and unchangeably secured to onesection, as at N, and screw-threaded to the other section at 0. It is.also obvious that these parts may be firmly screw-threaded together, asstated, respecting the parts of variety No.1.

As before stated, the essential features of this invention consist inadapting the sections of which the safe is composed to be very firmlyand powerfully secured or forced together by means of a machine.

Pand P representlugs extending outwardly from either end of the safe ofeither variety and adapted to engage with corresponding means connectedwith the operating-machine, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

In Figs. 9, 10, and 11, Q is the frame of a machine, adapted to closeand open the two is a block or carriage resting upon trackways, wherebythe safe may be placed in position R under a pulley-block S, with itslower section imposed upon said carriage, as shown, when the uppersection may, by means of said pulley-block, be placed in proper locationupon the lower section for looking or forcing together. The pulley-blockconnection is then severed, and the carriage, with the safe mountedthereon, is slid under the power-shaft T. A yoke U is operatinglysecured to the lower extremity of the powershaft T, said yoke beingprovided with cross-slots (1, adapted in size and form to fit over lugsP upon the upper section H. Likewise there are corresponding slots 1)upon the inside of the concave, adapting it to fit over and engage withlugs P upon the lower section of safe. Any suitable means (not shown)may be employed to adjust the yoke U and power-shaft T to an operatingposition upon the safe. Any suitable mechanismsuch as the gear V, worms\V, worm-gears X, worms Y, worm-gears Z, and worm Zn1ay be employed toturn or screw the parts of the safe together, the essential feature ofsuch machiney being that it shall be of sufficient power to exert aforce of many tons upon the power-shaft T, and

through the said shaft upon the safe, for thev purpose of firmlysecuring the said parts together.

In the modified form of safe shown in Figs. 7 and S, in place of thelugs P and P, indent'ations P and P' into the outside surface of thesafe are employed, and the block R, (which in all other respects is likethe block R,) in this case is provided with projecting lugs 11, adaptedin size and position to operate with the indentations P, and in likemanner the yoke U is adapted to operate with the indentations P. Thismanner of constructing the power connections and of, adapting them toclose and open the safe is, claimed to be the equivalent of thosepreviously described, since the result accomplish ed is identical and isaccomplished in substantially the same manner.

In Figs. 13 and 141 are shown a third modification of a power connectionfor closing and opening the varieties of my improved safe, wherein apolygonally-formed plug upon the lower extremity of the power-shaft, andlikewise one within the carriage-block, such as shown at f, adapted tofit a corresponding form indented into the surface of the safe, as atg,are employed with obvious result as before set forth.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1. A burglar proof safe consisting of twointegral hollow sections without door or other aperture, fitted to eachother by close joint connections, having no external appendages exceptthe knobs, indentations or other means by machinery, and havingconcealed means for interlocking the said sections when the same areapplied to each other and operated upon by powerful torsional apparatussubstantially as specified.

2. A burglar proof safe consisting of two integral hollow sectionswithout door or other aperture, fitted to each other by close jointconnections having no external appendages except the knobs, indentationsor other means whereby the parts are enabled to be grasped by machineryand having internal interlocking inclined lugs whereby when the twosections are applied to each other and one is turned by powerfulmachinery they become firmly united together and inseparable except bythe application-ofa torsional force similar to that which united them,substantially as specified.

3. A burglar proof safe consisting of two integral sections withoutdoor, aperture, lock, keyhole or hinges, accurately fitted to each otheron a line of juncture, and provided with screw-formed connectionswhereby when the matched parts are applied together and turned inopposite directions by powerful apparatus adapted for the purpose thesaid sections become firmlyunited together without appreciable creviceor means of entry, substantially as specified.

4:. The burglar proof safe herein described, consisting of two concavematched sections fitted to each other on a circular line of juncture,and provided with external lugs or indentations and internal screwformed connections, adapted to be operated upon by powerful torsionalmachinery designed for the purpose, whereby the two sections are firmlyclosed upon and united to each other without locks, bolts, bars,keyholcs, apertures, or external appliances, and incapable of separationexcept by a reverse process in a similarapparatus, substantially asspecified.

5. The burglar proof safe herein described,

whereby the parts are enabled to be grasped consisting of massiveconcave integral metallic sections as H, H, having external lugs as H,flanges I, and internal inclined lugs and grooves K, K, whereby the saidsections are adapted to be securely locked together by powerfultorsional force mechanically applied through the said lugs H orequivalent indentations, and remain so locked until a similar force issimilarly applied in reverse direction, substantially as specified. m

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig nature in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY J. COLBURN. \Vitnesses:

W. H. HARRIS, CASPER W. NEILSON.

